CongressNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94CongressSun, 30 Jul 2017 06:54:41 +0000Congresshttp://wlrn.org
Susan Davishttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWeayFHsH90 In a moment of unexpected high drama, Republicans were stymied once again in their effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act — and they have John McCain to thank for it. In the early morning hours Friday, the senator showed why he earned the nickname "Maverick" over his long tenure. McCain, who was diagnosed with brain cancer and returned to Washington to advance the health care bill, turned around and bucked his party's leadership — and President Trump — by joining two moderate Republicans, two independents and every Democrat in voting against the so-called "skinny repeal" of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. McCain's office released a statement from the senator on his reasoning: "From the beginning, I have believed that Obamacare should be repealed and replaced with a solution that increases competition, lowers costs, and improves care for the American people. The so-called 'skinny repeal' amendment the Senate voted on todayMcCain Votes No, Dealing Potential Death Blow To Republican Health Care Effortshttp://wlrn.org/post/mccain-votes-no-dealing-potential-death-blow-republican-health-care-efforts
93222 as http://wlrn.orgFri, 28 Jul 2017 12:51:33 +0000McCain Votes No, Dealing Potential Death Blow To Republican Health Care EffortsWilson SayreYet another candidate has entered the race for U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's seat. Raquel Regalado, a former Miami-Dade County School Board member, announced her candidacy for U.S. District 27 in a video posted on her Facebook page . In the video, Republican Regalado says her top issue is affordability in South Florida—better-paying jobs and reasonably priced housing. “I’m running for Congress because we cannot afford to live in South Florida,” she said, adding that she’ll be able to put partisan rhetoric aside in addressing those issues. Regalado is the daughter of long-time Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado. Last year, she made a failed bid to unseat Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, earning 44 percent of the vote to Gimenez’s 56 percent. “This was always David versus Goliath; we always knew that,” said Regalado in her concession speech, and if she’s David in the race for the District 27 seat, Goliath is the increasingly crowded field of candidates. Three Republicans have officiallyRaquel Regalado Joins Other Familiar Names In Bid For Ros-Lehtinen's Congressional Seathttp://wlrn.org/post/raquel-regalado-joins-other-familiar-names-bid-ros-lehtinens-congressional-seat
93008 as http://wlrn.orgTue, 25 Jul 2017 20:05:10 +0000Raquel Regalado Joins Other Familiar Names In Bid For Ros-Lehtinen's Congressional SeatGeoff BennettUpdated 5:30 p.m. ET Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, tells NPR that he's sending a letter to Donald Trump Jr., saying that he wants the president's eldest son to testify in an open session of the committee and will subpoena him if necessary. Grassley first spoke with CNN. It's the first formal invitation for Trump Jr. to appear before congressional investigators, who want to learn more about his June 2016 meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. The meeting was also attended by Trump son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Grassley says he wants Trump Jr. to appear "pretty soon," and it could be as early as next week. Trump Jr. this week released an e-mail exchange which preceded the meeting. In it, he appears willing and eager to accept damaging information on Hillary Clinton as part of an effort by the Russian government to help his father's presidential campaign. In an interview this week with Sean HannityCommittee Chair Requests Donald Trump Jr. Testify On Capitol Hillhttp://wlrn.org/post/committee-chair-requests-donald-trump-jr-testify-capitol-hill
92280 as http://wlrn.orgThu, 13 Jul 2017 16:16:00 +0000Committee Chair Requests Donald Trump Jr. Testify On Capitol HillThe Associated PressSenate Republicans would cut Medicaid, end penalties for people not buying insurance and erase a raft of tax increases as part of their long-awaited plan to scuttle President Barack Obama's health care law, congressional aides and lobbyists say.Sources: Senate Bill Would Reshape Obama Health Planhttp://wlrn.org/post/sources-senate-bill-would-reshape-obama-health-plan
91001 as http://wlrn.orgThu, 22 Jun 2017 12:25:00 +0000Sources: Senate Bill Would Reshape Obama Health PlanBrian NaylorUpdated at 1:56 p.m. ET If two nearly simultaneous hearings Wednesday by the House and Senate Intelligence Committees into Russia's meddling in last year's presidential election revealed anything, it's that U.S. officials saw what was going on but were all but powerless to stop it. In his prepared remarks, former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said the Russian government, "at the direction of Vladimir Putin himself, orchestrated cyberattacks on our Nation for the purpose of influencing our election — plain and simple." But in response to a question from the committee's ranking member, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., Johnson said he was concerned he would be criticized "for perhaps taking sides" in an ongoing election if he publicly spoke out about the Russian meddling that he knew was going on. One of the candidates, Johnson said, not naming but clearly referring to Donald Trump, "was predicting that the election was going to be rigged," Johnson said, and so we were concerned thatU.S. Elections Systems Vulnerable, Lawmakers Told In Dueling Hearingshttp://wlrn.org/post/security-state-election-systems-focus-dueling-capitol-hill-hearings
90931 as http://wlrn.orgWed, 21 Jun 2017 13:57:00 +0000U.S. Elections Systems Vulnerable, Lawmakers Told In Dueling HearingsSusan DavisSenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says Republicans will release a discussion draft of their version of the health care bill on Thursday, with a vote likely next week. Private health care talks have been underway in the Senate for weeks. McConnell tapped a 13-member working group last month to hash out senators' differences over the House-passed American Health Care Act. McConnell's office has since taken the lead drafting the Senate version of the party's long-promised legislation to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. Senate Republicans have been coy — or simply out of the loop — on the specifics in the Senate plan, but here is what we know about what might be in the bill and where it could be headed: It Sounds A Lot Like The House Bill After the House passed AHCA in early May, leading senators asserted that the Senate would go their own way. "We're writing a Senate bill and not passing the House bill," Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said then. "We'll take whatever good ideas weHere's What We Know About The Senate GOP Health Care Billhttp://wlrn.org/post/heres-what-we-know-about-senate-gop-health-care-bill
90894 as http://wlrn.orgTue, 20 Jun 2017 22:38:00 +0000Here's What We Know About The Senate GOP Health Care BillDomenico Montanarohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcH2i7um5sw Sen. Bernie Sanders, who led a progressive, left-wing populist effort that very nearly won him the Democratic presidential nomination, condemned the shooting Wednesday at a congressional baseball practice — and acknowledged the suspect was apparently a supporter of his campaign. "I have just been informed that the alleged shooter at the Republican baseball practice is someone who apparently volunteered on my presidential campaign," the Vermont independent said in brief remarks on the Senate floor. "I am sickened by this despicable act. Let me be as clear as I can be — violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society, and I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms. Real change can only come about through nonviolent action, and anything else runs counter to our most deeply held American values." He continued, wishing for the speedy recovery of Republican Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, congressional staffers and Capitol PoliceSanders Of Supporter And Alleged Shooter: 'Violence Of Any Kind Is Unacceptable'http://wlrn.org/post/sanders-supporter-and-alleged-shooter-violence-any-kind-unacceptable
90504 as http://wlrn.orgWed, 14 Jun 2017 19:20:00 +0000Sanders Of Supporter And Alleged Shooter: 'Violence Of Any Kind Is Unacceptable'Miles ParksUpdated at 9:36 p.m. ET A shooting Wednesday morning at a baseball field in Alexandria, Va., left the third-highest-ranking member of the House of Representatives lying at the edge of the outfield with a gun wound to his hip. The shooter has died, President Trump announced. Steve Scalise, the House majority whip, headed into surgery at a hospital in Washington at 10 a.m., according to a statement from his office . He remained "in critical condition" as of 8:15 p.m., according to a statement from the hospital, following a surgery and multiple blood transfusions, with more operations to come. The bullet that struck his left hip traveled across his pelvis, "fracturing bones, injuring internal organs, and causing severe bleeding," the hospital said. When the shooting started earlier that morning, he was playing second base, his normal position on the congressional baseball team. "All of a sudden, we heard a loud, what sounded like a gunshot, very loud and very close," Sen. Jeff Flake, RWho Is Rep. Steve Scalise? Republican Majority Whip Shot In Virginiahttp://wlrn.org/post/who-rep-steve-scalise-republican-majority-whip-shot-virginia
90498 as http://wlrn.orgWed, 14 Jun 2017 17:17:00 +0000Who Is Rep. Steve Scalise? Republican Majority Whip Shot In VirginiaDomenico MontanaroThere's nothing that quite says summer like baseball. A baseball field is a sanctuary for millions of boys and girls, moms and dads. From the working class to the white collar, from the Marine to the congressman, America's pastime has been a respite from the day-to-day grind for generations. That's why Wednesday's shooting at a congressional baseball practice in a placid neighborhood in a Virginia suburb of Washington was so shocking. "We were upbeat, getting ready for a game," Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, told NBC, "and then something like this happens, and you can't believe it." Washington in recent years has been marred by acrimony and partisanship. And members of Congress have increasingly faced threats and hostility. There are few bipartisan traditions that have survived, but the Congressional Baseball Game is one of them. Its peace and civility was shattered Wednesday morning when a gunman opened fire with what one witness described as a semiautomatic weapon in a local park on aThe Crack Of Gunfire Shatters The Comity Of One Remaining Bipartisan Traditionhttp://wlrn.org/post/crack-gunfire-shatters-comity-one-remaining-bipartisan-tradition
90499 as http://wlrn.orgWed, 14 Jun 2017 17:00:00 +0000The Crack Of Gunfire Shatters The Comity Of One Remaining Bipartisan TraditionCamila DomonoskeUpdated at 4:45 p.m. ET The FBI says the man who opened fire on a group of Republican members of Congress on Wednesday is 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson of Belleville, Ill., who was shot by police and later died at a hospital. The alleged shooter expressed fervent opposition to the Republican Party and called for higher taxes on the rich, in statements on social media and letters to a local newspaper. He apparently volunteered for the presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders, according to the Vermont senator, who condemned the attack. Early on Wednesday, witnesses say, a man armed with a rifle opened fire on a group of Republican members of Congress practicing for a baseball game in Alexandria, Va. Four victims were transferred to the hospital with gunshot injuries: Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., a congressional staffer, a lobbyist and a Capitol Police officer. Another congressman and a second police officer also suffered minor injuries. The FBI says it is activelyWhat We Know About The Suspect In GOP Baseball Practice Shootinghttp://wlrn.org/post/what-we-know-about-suspect-gop-baseball-practice-shooting
90493 as http://wlrn.orgWed, 14 Jun 2017 16:25:00 +0000What We Know About The Suspect In GOP Baseball Practice ShootingBill Chappellhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQH1YCgJ5u4 Updated at 10:15 p.m. ET House Majority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana has undergone surgery and will need further operations, after being shot by a man who opened fire with a rifle on an early morning baseball practice for Republican members of Congress in Alexandria, Va. Scalise was the most seriously injured of four victims of the shootings. The suspect was fatally wounded during a gun battle with law enforcement, including a U.S. Capitol Police officer who had been shot. MedStar Washington Hospital Center issued a statement Wednesday night about Scalise's condition: "Congressman Steve Scalise sustained a single rifle shot to the left hip. The bullet travelled across his pelvis, fracturing bones, injuring internal organs, and causing severe bleeding. He was transported in shock to MedStar Washington Hospital Center, a Level I Trauma Center. He underwent immediate surgery, and an additional procedure to stop bleeding. He has receivedWounded Congressman In Critical Condition, Will Require Additional Surgeryhttp://wlrn.org/post/wounded-congressman-critical-condition-will-require-additional-surgery
90480 as http://wlrn.orgWed, 14 Jun 2017 12:22:00 +0000Wounded Congressman In Critical Condition, Will Require Additional SurgeryRichard GonzalesLeaders of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence say they have issued subpoenas for documents from two businesses operated by former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Committee Chairman Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Vice Chairman Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., in remarks to reporters, said the subpoenas were sent to Flynn Intel LLC and Flynn Intel, Inc. with a specific list of documents they are seeking. The senators did not say what to what those documents relate. As the Two-Way reported , Flynn has invoked the 5 th Amendment and has refused to turn over any documents subpoenaed by the committee related to his interactions with Russian officials during the 2016 presidential campaign. "While we disagree with Gen. Flynn's lawyers' interpretations of the taking the Fifth, it is even more clear that a business does not have a right to take a Fifth if it's a corporation," said Warner. One subpoena has been served and another is in the process of being served, he added. YesterdaySenate Intelligence Committee Presses For Flynn Documentshttp://wlrn.org/post/senate-intelligence-committee-presses-flynn-documents
89157 as http://wlrn.orgTue, 23 May 2017 22:32:00 +0000Senate Intelligence Committee Presses For Flynn DocumentsBrian NaylorUpdated at 3:38 p.m. ET Former CIA Director John Brennan told the House Intelligence Committee Tuesday that Russia "brazenly interfered in the 2016 election process," despite U.S. efforts to warn it off. Brennan testified in an open session of the committee, one of a handful of congressional committees now investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Brennan said he told his Russian counterpart, the head of Russia's FSB, last August that if Russia pursued its efforts to interfere, "it would destroy any near-term prospect for improvement in relations" between the two countries. He said Russia denied any attempts to interfere. In his opening statement, Brennan also recounted how he had briefed congressional leaders in August of last year, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and the chairs and ranking members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees about the "full details" of what he knew of Russia's interference inFormer CIA Director Tells Lawmakers About 'Very Aggressive' Russian Election Meddlinghttp://wlrn.org/post/former-cia-director-tells-lawmakers-about-very-aggressive-russian-election-meddling
89104 as http://wlrn.orgTue, 23 May 2017 13:57:00 +0000Former CIA Director Tells Lawmakers About 'Very Aggressive' Russian Election MeddlingAlison KodjakAt a town hall meeting in Willingboro, N.J., on Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur was confronted by angry constituents who demanded to know how the Republican health care bill that he helped write would affect rape victims. A young man named Joseph said he understood that the bill would allow insurance companies to deem rape a pre-existing condition and deny coverage to people who have been raped. He demanded MacArthur defend his support of the bill , which, he said, would "force women to choose between justice and silence to protect their affordable health care." MacArthur tried to assure the crowd that rape victims would be protected under the bill. He said the notion that rape could be treated as a pre-existing condition had been debunked . "You cannot be denied or charged more because of having been raped," MacArthur told the booing crowd. But that didn't satisfy the crowd, which was worked up by the idea that a rape victim could be denied health care. It's a notion that hasIs Rape A Pre-Existing Condition? Not Exactlyhttp://wlrn.org/post/rape-pre-existing-condition-not-exactly
88337 as http://wlrn.orgThu, 11 May 2017 19:58:00 +0000Is Rape A Pre-Existing Condition? Not ExactlyDomenico MontanaroUpdated at 3:45 p.m. ET Republicans finally got their health care bill. After seven years of repeal-and-replace rhetoric against the Affordable Care Act, two presidential campaigns waged for and against it and a recent high-profile failure, House Republicans passed their bill. The trouble is this bill is unlikely to ever become law — at least in its current iteration. Here's why: While the bill passed the House (narrowly) Thursday afternoon, it still has to go to the Senate. It's being done with a wink and a promise that the Senate will overhaul substantial portions of the bill. "This thing is going to the United States Senate. It's going to change in my view in the United States Senate in some way," Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, a deputy whip in the House, told NPR's Morning Edition . (Cole is one of the people in charge of making sure Republicans have the votes.) "Then we have to have a conference to work out the differences. If we can do that, then it has to still pass the House andGOP Passes Its Health Care Bill At Long Last, But Still A Long Way To Gohttp://wlrn.org/post/gop-expected-pass-its-health-care-bill-long-last-still-long-way-go
87848 as http://wlrn.orgThu, 04 May 2017 14:45:00 +0000GOP Passes Its Health Care Bill At Long Last, But Still A Long Way To GoGeoff BennettUpdated 2:10 p.m. ET The Senate approved the bipartisan $1.1 trillion spending bill that funnels money to nearly every corner of the federal government and keeps it running through the end of the current fiscal year in September. The House approved the measure on Wednesday, and it now goes to President Trump for his signature. The vote caps weeks of tense negotiations between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill. Democrats – whose votes are needed to pass the government-wide spending legislation – wielded their political leverage to elevate their interests while scuttling some of the Trump administration's priorities. For instance, the spending bill includes no money for President Trump's long-promised Southern border wall, although it provides $1.5 billion for increased border security and work on existing border infrastructure. While the bill meets Trump's request to boost defense spending — $15 billion will be added to funding for the military – it also keeps intact money forSenate Approves $1 Trillion Spending Bill To Keep Federal Government Openhttp://wlrn.org/post/house-approves-1-trillion-spending-bill-keep-federal-government-open
87791 as http://wlrn.orgWed, 03 May 2017 20:20:00 +0000Senate Approves $1 Trillion Spending Bill To Keep Federal Government OpenCamila DomonoskeWhen some members of Congress look at the practices of U.S. airlines, they aren't just lawmakers eyeing an industry. They're customers. And they aren't happy. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee held a hearing on Tuesday to address concerns over airline customer service. It was prompted by several high-profile incidents, including the violent removal of a passenger from a United Express flight. But the hearing with executives from four major carriers was wide-ranging. And it was quickly apparent that members of Congress — traveling back and forth between Washington, D.C., and their home districts — are frequent flyers, with very personal feelings on the subject. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., whose home district is in San Diego, said he had considered, and rejected, two opening questions: "Why do you hate the American people?" and "How much do you hate the American people?" Committee members complained about seat sizes, about checked-bag fees, about ticket-bookingMembers Of Congress Are Annoyed By Air Travel, Toohttp://wlrn.org/post/members-congress-are-annoyed-air-travel-too
87698 as http://wlrn.orgTue, 02 May 2017 18:43:00 +0000Members Of Congress Are Annoyed By Air Travel, TooMiles Parkshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31wDcX1mOXw U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Cuban-American elected to Congress and the first congressional Republican to publicly support marriage equality, is retiring next year at the end of her term. Ros-Lehtinen, 64, will have spent almost three decades in Congress, having been elected for the first time in 1989. Her unexpected retirement was first reported by the Miami Herald on Sunday , and confirmed in an open letter published by the paper later Sunday afternoon. "It's been such a delight and a high honor to serve our community for so many years and help constituents every day of the week," she told The Herald in a phone interview. "We just said, 'It's time to take a new step.' " The Republican congresswoman said she had no doubt she could've won re-election had she sought it in 2018, despite a shifting political climate in her district. The newly-redrawn 27th District covers much of southeast Miami-Dade County, and Democrat HillaryU.S. Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, First Cuban-American Elected to Congress, Retiring Next Yearhttp://wlrn.org/post/us-rep-ros-lehtinen-first-cuban-american-elected-congress-retiring-next-year
87561 as http://wlrn.orgSun, 30 Apr 2017 22:00:00 +0000U.S. Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, First Cuban-American Elected to Congress, Retiring Next YearAlison KodjakAs Republicans in Congress debate changes to the Affordable Care Act, insurance executives across the country are trying to make plans for next year. Companies that sell policies on the exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, face fast-approaching deadlines to inform states about what plans they want to sell, and what they intend to charge. "Insurance companies need to file rates in 2 1/2 months," says Tom Policelli , CEO of Minuteman Health, which sells Obamacare policies in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. "So basically we've got four to six weeks to figure out some basic things that will help all of us in the industry to have more surety and stability, so we can price our premiums lower," he says. To make those decisions, companies want to know whether the law is going to change altogether, something Republicans in the House have tried, failed to do and are trying again this week. At minimum, insurers would like to know whether the Trump administrationAs Trump And Congress Flip-Flop On Health Care, Insurers Try To Plan Aheadhttp://wlrn.org/post/trump-and-congress-flip-flop-health-care-insurers-try-plan-ahead
87410 as http://wlrn.orgThu, 27 Apr 2017 19:17:00 +0000As Trump And Congress Flip-Flop On Health Care, Insurers Try To Plan AheadDomenico MontanaroUpdated at 12:30 p.m. ET The Republican chairmen of the House and Senate Appropriations committees have endorsed the idea of a short-term spending bill to keep the government open while budget negotiations continue. The stop-gap spending measure, introduced by House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen of New Jersey, would put off the deadline to May 5. "I am optimistic that a final funding package will be completed soon," Frelinghuysen said. "It is time that this essential work is completed so that critical programs and activities — including national defense — are properly and adequately funded for the year." Republican Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran of Mississippi said, "We've made substantial progress on an agreement to complete the 2017 appropriations process. Let's pass this new continuing resolution, and make good use of this extra time to enact overdue legislation to provide for national defense and meet our country's needs." Democrats in theCongress Likely To Avoid Government Shutdown (At Least For Another Week)http://wlrn.org/post/congress-likely-avoid-government-shutdown-least-another-week
87378 as http://wlrn.orgThu, 27 Apr 2017 11:20:00 +0000Congress Likely To Avoid Government Shutdown (At Least For Another Week)